We recently had the chance to connect with Emer Kinsella and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Emer, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What are you most proud of building — that nobody sees?
I’m most proud of the community I’ve built over the years — the musicians, collaborators, and audiences who trust the work and show up for it. You don’t see it behind the concerts or album releases, but it’s built through countless rehearsals, late-night conversations, and shared risks. That unseen foundation made my album Concurrence possible, brought the Blue Door concert series to life, and supported our MOSAIC of Belonging show at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, (Center Theatre Group) in Culver City.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m Emer Kinsella — a contemporary violinist, composer, and songwriter who explores the intersection of acoustic and electronic sound. Through my work with Emersion Music, I create immersive concert experiences, innovative recordings, and interdisciplinary projects that push the boundaries of what classical and cinematic music can be.
My latest album, Concurrence, takes listeners on a journey through unpredictability, discovery, and connection, blending chamber strings with electronics and field recordings from my travels in Europe. This year, it’s been exciting to see the album gain recognition, including Grammy® consideration in the category of Best New Age/Ambient or Chant album, and to perform pieces from it in my Emersion Nights concert salon series where we bring audiences behind the scenes of the creative process and most recently at a sold out performance at the Kirk Douglas Theater in Culver City.
What makes my work unique is the focus on presence and connection — not just music as performance, but music as a space for curiosity, empathy, and dialogue. Whether it’s a live concert, a film score, or an immersive installation, my goal is to create experiences that leave audiences feeling both seen and transported.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What breaks the bonds between people—and what restores them?
Disconnection often stems from people feeling unseen or unheard. I’ve experienced that personally and have witnessed it in the broader cultural landscape. Music has always been the bridge for me — it allows us to share our deepest emotions and feel seen without words.
When I was younger, I felt torn between worlds — the classical traditions I trained in and the experimental, genre-defying sounds I was drawn to. Over time I realized that fusing them could be a way to restore connection: between traditions and innovation, between artists and audiences, and even between the fragments of myself. That belief continues to guide my work today.
When did you stop hiding your pain and start using it as power?
There was a moment in my early career when I felt pressure to fit into other people’s expectations — to sound a certain way, to follow a certain path. The turning point came when I began writing pieces that reflected the uncertainty, tension, and longing I felt in my own life. Instead of smoothing over those edges, I leaned into them.
That shift is woven throughout my album Concurrence — the track “Contingency,” for example, embraces unpredictability as a force for growth. Using personal struggle as creative fuel transformed my relationship with music and allowed me to be more authentic in what I share with audiences.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
I’m deeply committed to creating and sharing music in ways that go beyond traditional performance — I want my art to be an experience, a space where audiences feel curiosity, connection, and transformation. This means blending acoustic and electronic elements, weaving in visuals, field recordings, and interactive moments that allow people to engage with the music on multiple levels.
Whether it’s through intimate concert series, large-scale immersive performances, film scoring, or recordings like my album Concurrence, I’m invested in exploring new ways for people to experience sound — to feel it, inhabit it, and reflect through it. It’s a lifelong project because it’s not just about performing music, but about building environments where music fosters empathy, reflection, and even community.
No matter how long it takes, I’m committed to expanding what live and recorded music can be — transforming listening into a shared, living experience, and creating moments of discovery that stay with audiences long after the music ends.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. If you retired tomorrow, what would your customers miss most?
If I retired tomorrow, I think audiences would miss the sense of immersion and connection I strive to create in every project. Beyond performing, I’ve built spaces where composers, collaborators, and audiences come together — to engage with music as a living, evolving experience. I’ve always wanted to break down the barrier between creator and listener, allowing audiences to step inside the world of the music, to feel its textures, tensions, and moments of release.
Through my work, people don’t just hear music; they inhabit it. From my album Concurrence to immersive performances like MOSAIC of Belonging at the Kirk Douglas Theatre and RENEWAL on the Culver Steps, I aim to transport listeners into carefully constructed sonic worlds, where the emotional, the narrative, and the experimental converge. My hope is that people remember not only the sounds themselves, but the experience of being part of a space where creativity, curiosity, and collaboration are alive — a space that invites them to feel, reflect, and connect in ways they might not expect.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.emerkinsella.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emersionmusic/?hl=en
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/emerkinsella
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emer.kinsella
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzKvyKgQpBLa2WWbj-V3pDw?
- Other: https://www.emersionmusic.com
Image Credits
Celina Pinedo, John Nyboer, Mike Jones, Luiza Clen, Nawako Kato, Tilla Martin
